(i) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to ornamental facing structures, their manufacture and use and faced walls; more especially the invention is concerned with simulated brick facing structures.
(ii) Description of the Prior Art
Various proposals have been made for applying simulated bricks to wall surfaces and simulated tiles to wall or floor surfaces.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,701,228--Taylor describes a simulated brick wall comprising a backing panel having retaining apertures for securing individual brick facings; U.S. Pat. No. 3,683,579--Beardsley similarly shows individual brick facings which are nailed to a surface, a compressible backing sheet simulating mortar being sandwiched between the surface and the brick facings. In both of these structures discrete brick elements or facings are applied individually.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,046,213--Schnurer describes a structure in which an expanse of brick facings is formed as a unit for application. The brick facings are formed on a slab of cementitious material for application to a wall surface, and the slab has holes for nailing the unit to a wall.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,049,427; 2,049,428; 2,049,429 all of Denk and 4,076,876--Van Gasse, are all concerned with tile mountings. In the Denk Patents discrete tile facing elements have connecting members to locate them in spaced relationship on an insulation board. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,076,876, tiles of different sizes are connected by bridgings of the same material as the tile, the tiles and bridgings being moulded in one action.
Disadvantages of these prior proposals are that their structures and manufacture are complex, installation is expensive and time consuming, holes formed in the mounting surface become filled with mortar which makes it difficult to locate and mount the brick or tile structures; and the shape of the structures is inconvenient for compact storage and transfer.